Baseball training device

Abstract

The invention relates to a baseball teaching device that allows to develop striking skills of a player by emulating a force with which a ball travels before being hit by a player. The device has a frame mountable on a horizontal surface, an upright pole extending from the base and a baseball support arm extending traversely to the pole when the device is in use. The baseball support member is a flexible resilient plate that offers the necessary resistance to a striking force exerted by the player when the baseball is hit by a bat. An optional resilient insert is embedded into the body of the plate to increase resistance to the striking force by making the plate less flexible.

I claim: 
     
       1. A baseball teaching apparatus, comprising: a base mountable on a horizontal surface;   an upright pole detachably secured to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom; and   a resilient baseball support arm detachably secured to said pole and extending at a substantially right angle thereto, said baseball support arm providing resistance to a striking force exerted on a baseball secured to a distal end of said baseball support arm, said baseball support arm comprising a flexible plate provided with a flexible resilient insert fitted into a body of said plate, said insert increasing resistance of the baseball support arm to the striking force.   
     
     
       2. A baseball teaching apparatus, comprising: a base mountable on a horizontal surface;   an upright pole detachably secured to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom;   a resilient baseball support arm detachably secured to said pole and extending at substantially right angle thereto, said baseball support arm providing resistance to a striking force exerted on a baseball secured to a distal end of said baseball support arm, and   a baseball bat supporting member, said supporting member comprising a slotted bar securely attached to said baseball support arm and extending at a generally right angle thereto.   
     
     
       3. A baseball teaching apparatus, comprising: a base mountable on a horizontal surface;   an upright pole detachably secured to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom, said upright pole being provided with a plurality of vertically spaced-apart apertures extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of the pole;   a resilient baseball support arm detachably secured to said pole and extending at substantially right angle thereto, said baseball support arm providing resistance to a striking force exerted on a baseball secured to a distal end of said baseball support arm,   said baseball support arm comprising a means for nonrotatably securing the baseball support arm to the pole, said means comprising a hollow sleeve positioned in a surrounding relationship over at least a portion of said pole, said sleeve having a transverse opening, and wherein a securing pin is inserted into said opening and into the aperture formed in the pole,   said sleeve being provided with two open ends to allow positioning of the sleeve on said pole at alternative ends of the sleeve, so as to further facilitate a varied vertical positioning of the baseball support arm in relation to the horizontal surface.   
     
     
       4. A baseball teaching apparatus, comprising: a base mountable on a horizontal surface, said base comprising a T-shaped frame provided with a plurality of spikes extending downwardly therefrom and allowing embedment of the spikes into the horizontal surface;   an upright pole detachably secured to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom, said pole being provided with a plurality of vertically spaced-apart apertures; and   a resilient baseball support arm detachably secured to said pole and extending at a generally right angle thereto, said baseball support arm providing resistance to a striking force exerted on a baseball secured to a distal end of said baseball support arm, said baseball support arm comprising a flexible plate provided with a flexible resilient insert, said insert increasing resistance of the baseball support arm to the striking force.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said baseball support arm is adapted for vertical sliding movement in relation to said pole so as to allow positioning of the baseball support arm at a desired height in relation to the horizontal surface. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said baseball support arm further comprises a hollow sleeve positioned in a surrounding relationship over at least a portion of said pole, said sleeve having a transverse opening therethrough, and wherein a securing pin is inserted into said opening and into a selected aperture formed in said pole to allow positioning of the baseball support arm at a desired vertical height in relation to the horizontal surface. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a baseball bat supporting member, said supporting member comprising a slotted bar securely attached to said baseball support arm opposite said flexible plate and extending at a substantially right angle in relation to said pole when the baseball support arm is secured on said pole. 
     
     
       8. A baseball teaching apparatus, comprising: a base mountable on a horizontal surface;   an upright pole detachably secured to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom; and   a resilient baseball support arm detachably secured to said pole and extending at a substantially right angle thereto, said baseball support arm comprising a flexible plate provided with a flexible resilient insert, said insert increasing resistance of the baseball support arm to the striking force, said baseball support arm being nonrotatably mounted in relation to said pole and being vertically slidable in relation thereto, so as to facilitate vertical adjustment of a position of the baseball support arm in relation to the horizontal surface.   
     
     
       9. A baseball teaching apparatus, comprising: a base mountable on a horizontal surface;   an upright pole detachably secured to the base and extending vertically upwardly therefrom; and   a resilient baseball support arm detachably secured to said pole and extending at a substantially right angle thereto, said baseball support arm comprising a flexible plate provided with a flexible resilient insert, said insert increasing resistance of the baseball support arm to the striking force, said base comprising a T-shaped member provided with a plurality of spikes extending downwardly from a bottom surface of the T-shaped member and adapted for embedment into the horizontal surface.